Exercising apparatus



(No Model.)

I. G. KHEIRALLA. EXERGISING APPARATUS.

No. 539,872. Patented May 28; 1895.

' UNITEfl-STATES PATENT OFFICE IBRAHIM KHEIRALLA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EX ERClSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,872, dated May 28, 1895. Application filed April 4, 1895; Serial N 544,409. a. model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IBBAHI'M G. KHEIRALLA, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Assisting Locomotion; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for assisting the muscles in lifting the leg and moving it'forward in the act of locomotion, whether of walking, running,

skating, or snow-shoeing; to be extremely light, comfortable to the wearer, and designed to be worn under or concealed by the clothing if so desired.

To this end my invention consists in provid- .ing an apparatus having a flexible contractile connection attached to the body of the wearer above the hip joint, mounted to the outer side of each leg, confined at the knee, and connected to'the foot of the wearer below the an kle joint, wherebyI utilize the-vertical movement, lateral sway and weight of the body, through the alternate straightening and flexure of the knee and ankle joint, to cause said contractile connection to expand and contract and assist the muscles in lifting the leg and "carrying it forward, thus preventing fatigue. In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, Figure 1 shows the figure of a man in the act of walking, showing my apparatus in operative position. Fig.

2 is a like view showing a man in the act of running. Fig. 3 shows the apparatus detached. Figs. 4 and 5 show detail views of the foot-harness.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,A A, denote elastic lifting straps mounted designed to allow free movement of the ankle joint, and to afford a sling or support for the foot and heel. .Said straps meet under the instep and above the ankle joint and pass back of said joint and above the'heel and in front of and above the ankle joint as shown in Figs.4 and 5, the former showing the left foot upon the outer side and the latter the right foot inside. Said :harness is united to the loop a through the strap B which is the longer, and the straps O and D are sewed'on bias to the upper and lower ends of the strap B. This foot harness is designed to be worn over'the sock or stocking and under the shoe.

E, E, denote straps which are loosely mounted to the lifting straps by loops 6 e and provided with bucklese e. Saidstraps are secured around the legs below the knee joints as shown in the drawings, and serve to con- G, G, denote two hip bands united by lacings g, g, in front and back, and designed to form together a support for the lifting straps to be attached about the waist and above the hip joints.

H, H, denote two supporting straps which are fastened by buckles to the front and rear portions of the bands G, G. Said straps cross on the back of the wearer, pass over his shoulders and. are recarried in front as shown in the drawings. They serve to support the bands G, G, by suspending the same from the shoulders and distribute the Weight of the legs upon the upper part of the body.

In-attaching the apparatus the bands G, G, are first adjusted upon each side of the body above the hips, the V-shaped loops passing upon each side of the hip joint and the front lacing fastened. The straps B, O, D, are then secured to the foot under the instep and back of the heel as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The ten- ICO In operation my apparatus assists inreliev ing the muscles which are constantly brought into play in lifting the weightf the leg, clothing and foot wear in the act of locomotion. Where heavyshoes a'nd -boots' ar worn, or in snow shoeing and skating where an' additional weight is 'pla'ced on the' fe'et my invention is of especial value. In walk ing the lifting strapis' s'tr'etch ed 'as'thc-leg is 'st-rai'ghtened' un derthe body "which occurs it,thus-e1nploying the weight' 'and momentuni when theweight' of the body-"'isthrown' upon "of the body to 'st-re'tch said strap and-in'crease itscontractiie' tensiom which is utilized to lift theleg and foot' in"rear'-of thebody-andassist it forward to-the'nextst'ep. W'hen t'hest'raps H,*H, 'are in plz'tcetheverticalmovement and forward and latera-l'sway'of the upp'erpart of the body are 'also utilized to'stretch the lifting straps. As the body moves forward upon the right foot, the right side =of 't-he body and shoulder'iselevated and swayed forwardly and laterally. The body harness" communicates these movemen-tsof the right sid'e of the body tothe lifting strap uponthe' left leg Which'at thisjunctu're is in'rearof the bodyand being lifted. As the body moves forward upon the left-leg thesa'me movements of the left "side ot'the body are utilized to operate or stretch the lifting strap upon the right leg "As-a corollary the body harness also serves through the medium of the lifting straps on each side as a means for reducing an abnormal lateral or vertical movement of thebody in walking.

' The straps E E may be secured above or below the knee, and I do not confine myself to the'meansdescribed for attaching the elastic straps to the trunk and feet.

' Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An apparatus for-assisting locomotion and preventing fatigue, consisting of a harn-e'ss adaptemmr attachment to the body above the hip joint, adjustable elastic straps mounted upon'the outer-side of each leg and connected to said harness by a' V-shaped attachment, "guides for saidstraps sliding upon the elastio s't-r'apsand' confined to the outer side ofeach leg above or below the knee,- a

slingpass-ing around the ankle and the 'foot of the wearer a'nd connec'ted to thelower ends of sa-id elastic straps.

2'. '*An apparatus for assisting locomotion consistingof an elastic strap adapted to be mounted upon a waist belt and located upon the outer side of-each leg-and connected at 1 their upper ends-to hip bandssec'ured' upon each side-of the body; and at their lower ends to a foot sling consisti-ngbf three straps adapted to unite underthe instep and above --thefankle joint'and toi-nclose the ankle joint; substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature *in presence of two'witnesses.

. 'IBRAHIM -KHE-IRALLA.

Witnesses: WILLIAM F: JAMES,

J OHN! B. lVlORGA N. 

